A Dix Hills woman is searching for her grandfather's ashes, which she says were lost in the mail.

Laura Helfner lost her grandfather in July. She says she was planning on spreading his ashes next to those of his wife, but now she can't because the delivery box was destroyed and the urn and ashes were gone.

The battered box was on her doorstep when she got home from work Thursday, and she says she couldn't believe what she saw. Attached to the box was a note from the postmaster that said, "We care."

The funeral home sent the ashes from Nebraska. Helfner says she was told the box supposedly had "human remains" written on it.

She also has yet to hear back from the post office.

The urn departed from Nebraska on Aug. 19, then was processed through Des Moines, Iowa, before arriving in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Aug. 24.

Helfner says she is trying to figure out what happened from New Jersey to Long Island. She says there has to be a missing link somewhere.

News 12 reached out to the postal service for comment.

Helfner says this is worse than actual death.

She says it was her grandfather's last wish to have his ashes spread next to his wife's.